Land of Artists
by amateurwriting
Summary: Kino finds a country full of nothing but artists. She explores the lifestyle and mindset of the country's citizens.


"What was that thing you've always said about birds?"

"When people see birds in the sky, they feel like travelling."

"So what do you see now?"

"…Clouds."

Land of Artists

Kino and Hermes were driving across a grassy field. The humid weather was enamoring both of them, especially Kino. In retrospect she should've made room on the seat to keep that heavy overcoat.

"This grass is getting all over my tires!" Hermes complained.

"At least we're not riding in the mud. Remember what happened a few weeks ago?"

"Don't remind me."

They continued to drive in silence. Eventually Kino found a tall tree on top of a grassy hill to rest under. She gradually pushed the breaks until Hermes went to a complete stop. Both were parked under the tree. At this boring yet relaxing point of time Kino drank what was left from her water bottle, then decided to make conversation with Hermes to pass the time. Kino took out the map that she'd been using for her unending journey. The dotted locations of the map were countries that seemed of interest. Surrounding the dots were different symbols telling how "hospitable" each country was. To Kino, a circle meant something along the lines of "fairly pleasant, might consider returning", while a square meant "indifferent", a crossed out dot meant "Do not revisit.", and finally a skull meant "Do not revisit AT ANY CIRCUMSTANCES". Kino kept a glossary of these terms at the corner of the map, just in case someone other than her were to use it.

Upon looking for her next destination, Kino realized that she has travelled to every location on this map. She looked over the map twice more just to make sure. This is was a point in Kino's journey which she never thought she would come to, yet the map was certain. It would be good to note that this was the most recent map Kino could find, purchased only a few months ago.

With her mind devoid of ideas, Kino stared into the sky. The clouds were gently drifting off to wherever they may go, only being carried by the wind. In a sense, Kino was envious of these clouds. It would be funny, Kino thought, if the clouds were running from something. Perhaps they behaved like geese and were moving south for the winter. Being a cloud must have some sort of burden, for the one she was currently fixated on might have possibly contributed to a massive flood or a forest fire by lightning strike. With his rider lost in thought for a few solid minutes, Hermes spoke up.

"So, where are we heading next?"

Still with her head in the clouds, Kino replied "Somewhere."

"And that place is?"

Kino unfurled the map again and placed it in front of Hermes. "We checked off the whole map. Where do we go from here?"

"Well, that map is pretty outdated. Maybe we should get an updated one." Hermes was clearly misinformed of how long it usually takes to draw up a map and produce hundreds of copies.

"I wouldn't consider two years to be 'pretty outdated', Hermes."

"Still, it's not like you have anything else to do."

After a moment of consideration, the traveler and motorrad drove off to the nearest country that sold maps. Kino decided on one that sold maps of fair enough detail just a few countries over. The trip would take roughly one and a half weeks, and that was if Kino was always moving. A few days later Kino had passed by the last country between their starting point and destination. At this point in riding Kino's mind was completely devoid of thought, and what only existed to her right now was the stretch of open road that lay before her and the sound of Hermes' engine constantly blowing out smoke. Suddenly, Kino noticed a country in the distance, which didn't seem to make sense. Kino pulled out her old map and estimated her location. "Hermes, are you sure we headed out the right direction?" "Yes, I'm pretty sure." Hermes replied. "It doesn't seem to look like any of the previous countries we passed by." She continued. Kino focused on the country once more. Hermes was right, this place didn't seem like any of the other three they'd passed through yesterday. In fact, this country hadn't seemed to jog her memory at all. "Hermes, do you think this country is new?" Hermes paused for a brief second. "Well, what luck to find a place like this before you even purchased the map." Kino clutched the handlebars and pushed forward. "Lets go, Hermes."

Kino and Hermes were starting to get a view of the country up close. To Kino's surprise, the walls of the city had murals painted as far as it stretches within Kino's vision. These murals were painted quite beautifully, with extensive detail and vibrant use of color. Kino could already deduce that this was once again no ordinary country. They approached the gates, which were oddly unmanned. Nevertheless, they crossed into the town. All the buildings and houses were decorated in the same fashion as the outer walls. Each mural had its own distinct design and impression. Kino gazed upon this display with admiration. "I wonder why no one has greeted us yet?" Hermes asked Kino, who simply shrugged in response. They both walked along the main road until they came across a man painting on a canvas, coated with splatters of his effort. He was intensely focused on his work.

"Excuse me sir?" Kino called out to the man.

The man took a few more moments of painting until answering. "Yes? What is it?"

"Might I ask what you're painting there?"

"Ah, _this_." The painter stepped back and smiled with pride at his work. "It's my latest masterpiece. A commentary on the overlooked struggles of the common man."

Kino walked over and casually looked at the painting. "I see. So you like to paint things."

"It's more about conveying a message, but yes, it is my passion."

Kino and Hermes walked down the path once more until finding a man writing on a notepad, intensely focused on his work.

"Excuse me sir?" Kino called out to the man.

The man took a few more moments of writing until answering. "Yeah? How can I help you?"

"Might I ask what you're writing down?"

"Oh, it's just my newest poem. I'm quite well known, you see." The man leaned back and held the notepad up to his face. "This will soon be my new masterpiece."

"What is it about?"

"That, I do not know yet. To me a piece of writing will mold a message relative to the audience. Though if I were to interpret it, I would say it is a profound commentary on the futility of life."

"I see. So you like to write."

"It's more about expressing myself. Although I would consider it my passion."

Kino and Hermes walked until finding themselves in the town square. Dozens of people were gathered here with either a canvas, notepad, or an instrument. Several people were also carrying an assortment of random junk and materials. "I wonder why everyone's doing art?" Hermes muttered. "It's certainly an unusual sight…" Kino noticed the clock tower at the north end of the square. "…It's getting dark soon, we should probably find a hotel." Kino's stomach grumbled. "And a place to eat."

Luckily there were nothing but restaurants occupying the walls of the square. Kino chose one at random, and parked Hermes outside.

The interior of the restaurant was a nice change of scenery for Kino. It possessed a calm, rustic ambience with minimal décor and semi-dim lighting. However, Kino strangely found herself to be the only person here. "Welcome! Please take a seat!" The chef greeted Kino after appearing from the kitchen. Kino sat at the nearest table and opened the menu.

"Gosh, everything here is so pricey." Kino said with a gasp. "I guess I'll have the halibut." She pointed at the menu item to the chef.

"I apologize, that item is currently unavailable."

"Oh, in that case… I'll have the grilled chicken." Kino moved her finger further down the menu.

"Excellent choice."

Only a few minutes later the food had arrived. It was prepared extravagantly with well thought-out presentation, however the portion size was disappointingly small, especially for the price Kino paid for it.

"Might I ask why this dish is so expensive?" Kino asked the chef in slight annoyance.

"I'm sorry, normally we would be able to sell our dishes at a lower price, but there's been a sort of food shortage lately." The chef apologized.

"Food shortage?"

"Yes, I've heard that this country isn't getting enough imports for food."

"And why is that?"

"Because we're not making enough revenue. We used to thrive on our market for clothing, art and entertainment, but now we can't seem to sell as much as before."

"And you can't grow your own crops because the land is infertile?"

"Actually, no. The thing is, we don't have any farmers."

Kino became curious from this statement. "Why not?"

"Because, no one in their right mind would want to be a farmer. You can't convey a message or have any creative freedom in planting crops."

"I don't seem to understand. How did this country come to be without any farms?"

"Oh, I almost forgot that you were a traveller. You see, our country used to run like any other… until one day we signed a contract with the neighbouring country to have them supply us with food. And in return we would give them our works of art for their museums and galleries, our writing for their libraries and theatres, et cetera. Back in the day this country was home to some of the most renowned artists and poets in the world, and we were quite prosperous for that reputation." The chef then shifted to a very serious and solemn tone. "Then, one day our neighbouring country had flooded. We were on higher ground, so thankfully we survived. But now our economy is in ruin."

"I see. Since your country specialized in art, everyone took creative professions."

"It was more like they wanted to. Who wouldn't want to be a renowned playwright instead of a common labourer?"

"I've even considered it myself."

Kino finished her dinner with little satisfaction. She then asked the chef if there were any cheap hotels in this country. "Well, I don't know about cheap, but the most well-known would have to be just a few minutes from here." He said before giving Kino directions. With that, the young traveller and motorrad headed to the hotel, and saw that it had a large painted sign bearing its name. The hotel looked very modern, designed with sleek and bold edges which seemed to challenge the building's structural integrity. It was a very surreal experience for Kino, as the absurdity of the hotel looked as if it belonged in a children's book. Windows were arranged with inconsistency, and somehow the surface shined brightly despite having no visible lights around. Luckily the doors were still at the front, at the end of a long stairway. Kino and Hermes ascended to the seventh floor and entered their room, being big enough to fit exactly one human and one motorrad. The only furniture in a room of their desired price range were a bed, dresser and desk. The desk and dresser looked fairly normal, with their colors contrasting with the white floor carpet. The bed however had an oval shape, and stood in the middle of the room. Kino also found that this room had a window, where she had an excellent view of the town square. Roughly the same amount of people could still be seen there, all assumed to be determined to fulfill their work. Slightly curious with this, Kino pulled out the top drawer of the desk and retrieved the pencil and notepad inside. "What are you doing, Kino?" Hermes asked. "I thought I might try writing a poem. Like that man we met earlier." She sat in the chair and clutched the pencil, holding her hand in position. "I wonder if I'll come up with something insightful." Kino pondered.

It was the crack of dawn. Kino had groggily climbed out of bed, washed her face in the bathroom across the hall (in hindsight having one or two shared bathrooms for an entire floor might not have been the best idea) and returned to her room. She practiced drawing her trusty persuader from the holster attached to her right thigh. She continued this for quite a while, then started drawing the persuader from her back. This also took quite a while. During this morning ritual, the sun has risen from the horizon, engulfing the room full of natural light. Kino squinted her eyes to the sunlight, but continued drawing her persuader in the same position. On the desk next to her lay the poem she had written the night before. According to her, it was "not entirely special or profound, but it gave her some sort of satisfaction writing it." Unfortunately, Hermes didn't get to witness this window into Kino's mind. She was hesitant to show anyone.

At the end of Kino's daily ritual, she descended to the lobby where she ate breakfast. Her meal was once again extravagant in presentation but lacking in content. Still a little peckish, Kino went to her room to wake up Hermes, and the two left the hotel to explore the country. Kino thought it would be a good idea to go to the town square once again, perhaps to find any more information. She asked a person making strange body movements where the mayor of this country might be. He answered that there was no mayor in this particular country.

"No mayor? Or any sort of leader?" Kino followed up.

"Yes, we don't really have any governing body here."

"But, what happens if you need to make a big decision? How do you come up with the country's policies?" Hermes joined in on the conversation.

"Well, I suppose it never really crossed my mind. All we ever think about is our work, so there's no need for complicated political matters."

"Still, how does a country like that operate?" Kino asked.

"Well, we really just work for ourselves. We sell our projects and we use it to buy the food, clothing and shelter we need. And of course, more supplies for our work." The man chuckled.

"So why is it that everyone is so passionate about their art?"

"I don't know. But for me, I feel that my work is the only thing that keeps me going. It's who I am, my legacy. Without my art, I am nothing."

"Mm-hmm. Thank you for answering my question." Kino said as she walked away with Hermes.

Sometime afterward Kino and Hermes were strolling down a narrow path leading to a nearby park.

"Hey Kino?"

"Yes, Hermes?"

"Why do you think everyone here is so focused in their art? Surely there must be one or two people who disagree."

"Yeah, but I suppose they can always move out. Perhaps this country used to have a mix of many different professions, but it became such a nice home for artists, they started moving in and setting up business to the point where the country is nothing but devoted artists."

"…Makes sense."

Soon they had arrived at the park. It was a park that seemed like any other, grass and trees in an open area surrounded by a fence, with a few benches and tables scattered about. Similar to the town square, there was a herd of artists here as well.

Kino propped Hermes beside a bench, and pulled out a water bottle from the traveler's bag Hermes was carrying. She casually sipped the water as she observed the artists hard at work. They all gave off an intense vibe when in action. Kino was deep in thought about their drive and commitment. Eventually she noticed one of the painters to her right had stopped working. He wiped the sweat off his brow and walked over to Kino, and immediately collapsed on the park bench letting out a deep sigh of exhaustion. "Today is quite hot…" He muttered to himself. The painter tilted his head over to Kino upon noticing her presence. "Might you be a traveler, miss?" He asked Kino. "Yes." was all she had to answer. "I see… being a traveler must be interesting." The painter sat up and straightened his posture a bit. "You know, I have a brother who decided to become a traveler recently. Every other day he would ask me this and that about other countries and every other day I would say the same thing. I would say to him that I don't know anything about other countries, as I have never once in my life…" The painter rambled on for longer than Kino could pay attention.

"Can I ask you something?" Kino cut the man off during the middle of this ramblings. "Being a painter must be quite interesting as well, correct?" She continued.

"Yes, I suppose it's a good profession." The painter responded.

"Could you tell me exactly why you chose to be a painter?"

"Kino, didn't you already ask someone that?" Hermes butted in.

"Interested in painting, traveler?" The painter said with intrigue.

"Not exactly. I'd just like to know what exactly drew you to it."

"Well, that's pretty simple. I paint because it is fun. I enjoy it."

"You don't paint for any other reason?"

"I guess not. Then again, what other reason is there?"

"…Have you ever sold any of your paintings or have them displayed?"

"I sold a few throughout the years, just to make a living. I live with several other artists so we all support each other."

"Have you sold any recently?"

"No. I've seen that less and less people are buying art nowadays."

"So you know about the state of your country's economy?"

"Yes."

"And how it's inevitable that you'll go bankrupt?"

"Yes."

"And so you choose to stay here?"

"I know it sounds crazy, but I don't really mind going poor or perishing on the streets. As long as I can still paint, I'll be happy."

Kino shook her head with a smile. "No, I don't think that's crazy at all."

The painter, finished with his break, stood up from the park bench and stretched his back. "You know traveler, I wasn't always a citizen of this country. I moved here about a decade ago, and so many things have happened since then."

As he was walking away, he turned to Kino and finished his thought. "Things that really make you appreciate this country."

Kino nodded her head in acknowledgement. "Good luck."

The morning of the third day arrived. Kino walked Hermes (who was carrying piles of supplies and travel gear on his back) out the hotel. She gazed upward, noticing that the sheet of clouds obstructing her sight of the sky were particularly grey. Kino dreaded the inevitable storm that's to come, but she has seen worse many times before. Kino parted her eyes from the sky and mounted Hermes, her back leaned against the luggage and hands firmly gripping the handlebars. She kicked off the stand and revved Hermes' engine. They quickly took off towards the front gate. "You're not stocking up on supplies, Kino?" Hermes asked upon passing the general store. "No, everything here is too expensive. Besides, I'm running low on money." A few moments later, the traveler and motorrad approached the gates. Kino slowly wrapped her grip around the breaks. "Maybe we'll stock up in the next town, or perhaps we'll meet a travelling merchant." She noted with optimism.

After exiting the country's gates, Kino lifted her goggles to her forehead and titled her head up. The sky was a hint darker than before. Kino gazed at the sky with aloofness, and at that moment a single raindrop fell on Kino's cheek. In response, she adjusted her goggles and continued to drive down the open road, the same one she travelled down three days prior.

"So Kino, what did you think of that place?" Hermes spoke up after minutes of silence.

"It seemed like a peaceful country."

"It did, but how will they live on like that?"

"I don't know…" Kino thought back to the earnest painter she met earlier, smiling with pride while stroking his brush against the canvas. "…Maybe they won't."


End file.
